22. Smoking nuts

[How do you smoke nuts?]

Kit Anderson--

Nuts are very easy to do on a smoker. I have smoked them at lower temperatures and high temperatures and they seem the best when done at 300F for 1/2 hour. That would be over the hot spot in an offset smoker. Any wood will do but hickory is especially nice.

Get raw nuts in bulk at your health food store. Almonds, filberts, pecans, walnuts, peanuts are all good. The nuts need to be moist in order for the smoke to stick. It takes 2 tablespoons of melted butter per pound of nuts. You can also spray them with Pam. I recently have found 2 tablespoons of tamari soy sauce gives a wonderful subtle richness and will hold the smoke and spices. This also leaves them with a nice, dry coating. They will also need salt. Use a fine grain table salt, not coarse kosher, to taste.

After tossing with butter, tamari, or Pam, add your spices. You can get very elaborate or not. I like heat and will sometimes add some hot sauce to the butter. Try any of the seasoned salts.

One recipe from the Chileheads List asked for 2 tablespoons of Dave's Insanity in the butter. These were hot.  No . . . they were VERY HOT.  Weird thing was, that burned-cat flavor from Dave's had vanished.

Here's my recent effort that got a 'best ever' from the wife.

Kit's Smoked Nuts

Toss nuts with tamari in a bowl until completely coated. Add salt and chiles to taste. Spray baking sheet with Pam and arrange nuts in a single layer. Smoke at 300F for 1/2 hour stirring once after 15 minutes. Allow to completely cool so that they will be crunchy. These are great with beer, in oatmeal, and on salads.

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BBQ FAQ Ver 1.0, 2.0 ©1997, 1998 William W. Wight. All rights reserved.